“Tune in” was once a ubiquitous phrase. That’s because radio shaped daily life in China. We’re standing near \u574a\u5b89\u5cea6\u53f7\u654c\u53f0 and I want to tell you about the powerful role radio played in Chinese society.
Radio’s early days saw it used to extend the state’s reach. The government viewed wireless communication as a military tool. Public purchasing of wireless equipment was mostly forbidden. Foreign concessions disregarded this ban. Shanghai became a hub for radio culture in the 1920s.
The Nationalist Party lifted the restriction in 1927 when they took power. Officials saw radio as a way to promote government goals. They wanted to build a nationwide radio network. This network would center on the capital at Nanjing. It would spread Party content across the country. Political instability and reliance on foreign equipment prevented this dream.
The Chinese Communist Party started a radio station in Yan’an in 1944. The Soviet Union provided the equipment. Radio had already played a key role in the Party’s history. The leadership had used radio to communicate with Moscow.
The CCP embraced the idea of government power through radio in 1949. Central People’s Radio in Beijing was the core of this initiative. It sent content to provincial and municipal stations. In 1955, the government expanded radio infrastructure in the countryside. This involved equipment to relay signals and broadcast them over loudspeakers. By 1964, every county had radio stations. Loudspeakers covered ninety-five percent of villages.
A push to increase China’s stock of radio equipment made this possible. Initially, the CCP relied on existing factories. Their output was insufficient. Party leaders turned to the Soviet Union for help. At first, manufacturing focused on vacuum tube radios. The Sino-Soviet alliance fell apart in the late 1950s. China had already established a wireless industry. It could supply radios and move to transistor radios in the mid-1960s.
From 1949 to 1952, programming focused on consolidating the Party’s control. Mao’s declaration of the People’s Republic of China went out live on the radio. Rallies were broadcast to show who were China’s friends and enemies. The CCP started radio transmissions to overseas Chinese in 1950.
During the First Five Year Plan, radio content shifted. It emphasized hard work and building socialism. Cultural programs became more common. These included traditional Chinese forms and stories of the CCP’s heroic actions. Music and newscasts also became regular features. Every night, a half hour was devoted to Chinese translations of news from Moscow.
During the Great Leap Forward, lighter cultural fare largely disappeared. Radio stations urged labor mobilization. They highlighted the role of the military. When the Great Leap failed, radio stayed silent about the famine. Cultural content regained prominence in the early sixties.
In 1964, radio broadcasters again called for mass mobilization. Readings of Mao’s works became frequent. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao quotations were piped into factories and villages. Radio shows taught how to interpret Mao Zedong Thought. Citizens listened to struggle sessions. Radio stations played revolutionary tunes.
Collective listening to the radio was often required. During group sessions, students, villagers, or workers listened to updates. Local leaders led discussions. Radio structured daily routines. Every morning, people performed exercises to music selected by radio officials.
Local radio operators tuned into special broadcasts. They learned the key topics of the day. They used these topics for local broadcasts. Some content was standardized across the country. Other information varied based on location. Frequencies targeted urban areas, the countryside, and the military. Local stations tailored broadcasts to local happenings.
School teachers warned students against listening to “enemy broadcasts” from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Voice of America. Civilians were not supposed to eavesdrop on military frequencies.
The CCP considered radio a tool for social engineering. People also listened for information. Some monitored weather forecasts. Others wanted news about the country and the world. Educational programs were offered. People made time for their favorite shows.
Radios were so popular that they became one of the “Four Big Items” a man was expected to provide a prospective wife. Individuals built their own radios from parts. Though not high quality, they were symbols of technical skill. People gathered around the radio with friends and family.
From this vantage point near \u574a\u5b89\u5cea6\u53f7\u654c\u53f0, it’s fascinating to consider the pervasive reach of radio in shaping Chinese society during that transformative period. A simple device became an instrument of unity. It carried both propaganda and culture to every corner of the nation.